Egg Reserve Research Articles

P-962: No association found between decreased ovarian reserve and low thyroid function

One theoretical cause of premature diminished egg reserve is autoimmune destruction. Autoimmune damage to ovaries may be part of a generalized autoimmune endocrine destruction process involving multiple endocrine glands since there are some common proteins amongst the various endocrine glands. The objective of the present study was to evaluate a group of donor oocyte recipients with decreased egg reserve to see if they have a greater likelihood of diminished thyroid function.

P-217: Pregnancy rates according to embryo blastomere number in women with decreased egg reserve

P-217: Pregnancy rates according to embryo blastomere number in women with decreased egg reserve

P-767: The effect of cetrorelix vs. ganirelix on pregnancy outcome following minimal gonadotropin stimulation in women with elevated day 3 serum follicle stimulating hormone levels

Pregnancies following in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) have been recorded despite elevated day 3 serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) following minimal gonadotropins to prepare for oocyte retrieval. To prevent premature luteinizing hormone (LH) surge sometimes a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist is used. The objective of the present study was to determine pregnancy rates (PRs) following IVF-ET in women with decreased ovarian egg reserve according to which GnRH antagonist was used.

P-218: Pregnancy rates according to embryo fragmentation number in women with decreased egg reserve

P-218: Pregnancy rates according to embryo fragmentation number in women with decreased egg reserve

P-720: Pregnancy rates following single embryo transfer in women with decreased ovarian egg reserve

Some studies suggest that when day 3 serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is elevated, subsequent pregnancy rates following in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) are extremely low. However, other studies do not agree. The objective of the present study was to determine the pregnancy rates following IVF-ET in women with such a marked diminished ovarian egg reserve that only a single embryo was transferred.

P-13: The Effect of Endometriosis on Pregnancy Outcome Following In Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET) in Women With Decreased EGG Reserve

P-13: The Effect of Endometriosis on Pregnancy Outcome Following In Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET) in Women With Decreased EGG Reserve

Pregnancy and Implantation Rates of Donor Oocyte Recipients Obtaining Oocytes from Infertile Donors with Unexplained Infertility are Comparable to the Rates Obtained from Oocytes from Donors Whose Infertility Etiology is Tubal or Male Factor

Background and Significance: There are two main methods for supplying oocytes to women with decreased egg reserve: paid donors and donors who are trying to get pregnant by in vitro fertilization (IVF) who share half of the oocytes retrieved for reducing the cost of their own IVF procedure. Many recipients are fearful of selecting a shared donor with unexplained infertility fearing that the oocyte may be the problem, and thus only a small percentage of chosen donors have the diagnosis of unexplained infertility. Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine if a donor oocyte recipient who selects oocytes from an infertile woman with unexplained infertility has less of a chance of conception and delivery than if the oocytes were selected from infertile donors with known tubal or male factor infertility. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of donor oocyte recipient cycles from over six years was conducted. If the recipient elected to freeze all embryos without a fresh transfer these cycles were eliminated. If a donor had endometriosis but normal tubes and a normal male partner this was considered as unexplained infertility. Results: There were 159 shared oocyte cycles evaluated as well as 403 paid oocyte fresh embryo transfers. The fertilization rates and clinical ongoing/delivered pregnancy rates and implantation rates are seen in the table below. Though there were only 12 transfers in the endometriosis and unexplained category, there were 8 clinical pregnancies (66.7% clinical pregnancy rate/cycle) and 7 ongoing delivered pregnancies (58.3%). For this combined group there were 12 embryos that implanted out of 41 that were transferred (29.2% implantation rate). Tabled 1EndometriosisTubalMale factorUnexplainedPaid donor# transfers590517394# eggs inseminated1031369660936457% fertilized69.968.264.180.669.3Avg. # embryos transferred4.03.33.23.03.0% implanted25.035.828.433.329.8% clinical pregnancy per transfer60.064.456.971.456.6% ongoing/delivered per transfer60.060.047.157.151.0 Open table in a new tab Conclusion: Donor oocytes obtained from women with unexplained infertility/endometriosis result in comparable pregnancy and implantation rates as paid donors and shared donors with diagnosis of tubal factor and male factor. Hopefully these data will encourage more recipients to choose from this category of shared donors and a larger sample size can be evaluated in the future. Though not the focus of the study, these data also show that oocytes from shared infertile oocyte donors provide recipients with comparable outcome as paid donors.

The dynamics of egg production, oviposition and resorption in a parasitoid wasp

1. The extent to which parasitoid wasps are limited by their egg supply is very important in understanding their reproductive strategies. Egg reserves are dynamic, with most wasps maturing new eggs throughout their life (synovigeny) and many species resorbing eggs that are not used in oviposition. We investigated the extent to which a parasitoid modulates its egg reserves in the light of its experience in finding hosts. 2. The egg dynamics of the Encyrtid Wasp Leptomastix dactylopii, a solitary parasitoid of mealybugs, were studied in the laboratory. This species is synovigenic and practises egg resorption. 3. We allowed newly emerged wasps to experience one of four environments of increasing value in terms of reproductive opportunities. We proposed that wasps that experienced good quality environments would maintain more mature eggs ready for oviposition. Dissection of wasps subject to different periods of host deprivation after the experimental treatment failed to confirm the hypothesis: egg load was independent of experience. 4. We also proposed that any adjustment of egg supply to make up for eggs oviposited would be effected through a reduction in egg resorption. Instead, we found that the wasp quickly made up for eggs oviposited by increased egg production.

Energy Metabolism and Amino Acid Transport During Early Development of Antarctic and Temperate Echinoderms.

The rates of oxygen consumption by embryos of antarctic echinoderms (Acodontaster hodgsoni, Odontaster validus, Psilaster charcoti, and Sterechinus neumayeri) were compared to the biomas (ash-free dry organic weight) of the egg of each species. These species could survive for months to years (range: 10 months to 5 years) by relying solely on the reserves present in the egg. However, certain species did not use any of the egg's reserves during early development. Embryonic stages of O. validus (a species with planktotrophic larvae) did not decrease in lipid, protein, or total biomass during the first 35 days of development. During the first 42 days of development, embryos of A. hodgsoni (a species with lecithotrophic development) used protein as an energy source. For both species lipid composed 40 to 50% of egg biomass, but was not used as an energy reserve. Larvae of O. validus have a high-affinity transport system for amino acids dissolved in seawater (K1 = 1.3 {mu}M for alanine). The rate of alanine transport from a low concentration (50 nM) could supply 32% of the larva's metabolic needs. This is a 10-fold higher input to metabolism than was determined (3% at 50 nM) for larvae of a temperate asteroid, Asterina miniata. Larvae of antarctic echinoderms live in an environment where the food supply is low for most of the year. Relative to their metabolic rates, antarctic larvae have larger energy stores and planktotrophic larvae have higher nutrient transport capacities when compared to larvae from temperate regions. These physiological differences allow antarctic larvae to survive for long periods without particulate food.

Factors affecting contributions of the tadpole shrimp, Lepidurus packardi, to its oversummering egg reserves

The phenology and reproductive biology of the tadpole shrimp, Lepidurus packardi, which inhabits temporary annual pools in northern California, U.S.A., were investigated to identify factors affecting its contributions to its egg reserves that oversummer in the dried pond sediments. Field observations throughout 2 seasons revealed the nearly continuous presence of juveniles, indicating multiple generations, and a predominance of males during the mid to late stages of the pond. Observation of the first oviposition, and dissections revealed that sexual maturation occurred in shrimp 10–12 mm carapace length. Fecundity increased with size, but was drastically reduced in parasitized individuals. Metacercariae of an echinostome fluke caused parasitic castration in 53% of the population by mid-season. In the laboratory, oversummered eggs collected from dried pond sediments hatched within 17 days, when incubated at 10 °C. Eggs laid in the laboratory hatched within 25 days at 10 °C, without prior dehydration, but hatching was reduced at higher temperatures.

Effect of warming conditions on the survival of mouse embryos cryopreserved and diluted by a one-step ™ straw procedure

To evaluate independently the effect of blastomere number and degree of fragmentation on pregnancy outcome following single ETs in women with a decreased egg reserve.Retrospective cohort analysis.In vitro fertilization center of a university-based practice.Women having a single ET related to a decreased egg reserve. A requirement for inclusion was a day 3 serum FSH >12 mIU/mL and ≤3 antral follicles on ultrasound.Patients received no or minimal stimulation with gonadotropins.Pregnancy rates (PRs) following single ETs were evaluated according to blastomere number (group 1, ≤4 cells; group 2, 5 cells; group 3, 6 cells; group 4, 7 cells; and group 5, ≥8 cells) and fragmentation index (A, no fragmentation; B, 1–25% fragmentation; and C, >25% fragmentation). Embryo transfers and morphologic evaluation were performed on day 3.The clinical and delivered PRs according to blastomere number showed that 6–8-cell embryos were six times more likely to implant than 4–5-cell embryos (6.6% versus 40.4% clinical). Degree of fragmentation did not predict outcome nearly as well as blastomere number. The overall clinical and delivered PRs per transfer were 27.8% and 24.1%, respectively, and were 14.8% and 12.8% per retrieval, respectively, and were 9.0% and 7.3% per initiated cycle, respectively.Six, seven, or eight-cell embryos have equal chances of implanting in women with day 3 elevated serum FSH. The key finding is that these embryos do better than those with <6 blastomeres. These data may be helpful in women with a diminished ovarian reserve in attempting IVF with their own eggs or when choosing donor oocytes.

Seasonal Aspects of the Reproductive Biology of Sitona hispidulus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in North Carolina

The reproductive biology of Sitona hispidulus (F.) was examined over a 21-month period. Numbers of males and females did not differ significantly. Males and females of the new generation first appeared in late April and May. No eggs occurred in the oviducts of new generation adults before mid October. Both oviduct egg density and the percent of the female population containing oviducal eggs were negatively related to mean daily temperature and weevil collection date. Peak oviduct egg density occurred in March and April. Sperm content in spermathecae was negatively related to mean daily temperature. Fall mating was first observed in mid October 1978, and mid September 1979. Sexual activity continued through winter until May. Ovipositional rate and egg reserve in the oviducts differed among three compared temperatures. Ovipositional date significantly affected these variables. Peaks in ovipositional activity and egg reserve occurred simultaneously from November to late April. Oviposition responded directly to oviduct egg presence. No oviposition occurred from mid-July to late September.